Google Glass Gets New Google Now Cards, Hashtag Support & Volume Control

Google’s latest software update for Google Glass is on the way, and it includes hashtag support, a few new voice commands, new video controls and a few new Google Now cards, too.

This is what Glass owners will recognize as the XE8 update, and it’s rolling out over the next couple days.

Google Now Cards

Google Now has been updated to show upcoming dinner reservations, hotel reservations and concerts (when you’ve received an email confirmation for these types of events). It also includes emergency alerts such as bad weather, and movie listings near you.

That movie card has been rolling out over the past couple weeks, actually. Some users have seen it during their travels and thought they were looking at the first in-Glass advertising. But it’s not an ad, it’s listing information from Google Now.

Hashtag Support When Sharing

There are a couple updates to how photos are shared on social networks from Glass. For starters, Glass’ voice recognition now supports hashtags. By saying “hashtag sunset,” for example, Glass will add #sunset to your description/caption when sharing an image.

Volume Control

Not mentioned in the Google+ post I mentioned above, but included in the full release notes, is the news of a volume control option in Glass settings.

This has been one of the most oft-requested upgrades for Glass, which can be difficult to hear in loud environments.

New Voice Commands

This update includes several new voice commands, including “Post an update” and “Take a note.” But these aren’t device-wide at the moment. The first one is currently only supported by the Path app, while the latter is currently only available to Evernote app users. But developers can integrate those commands into their own apps, and Google says Glass users will soon “be able to use your voice to trigger all sorts of services.”

Google is also adding new voice commands that are available in the navigation system, like “show/hide route overview” and “stop directions.”

Video Controls

Google says it’s also upgraded the video player in Glass to support pausing, as well as swiping to fast forward or rewind. This applies to videos shot by Glass and/or to videos from the CNN app, for example.

Those are the primary updates. The full list includes a few more, particularly about SMS messaging.

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Matt McGee is the Editor-In-Chief of Marketing Land and Search Engine Land. His news career includes time spent in TV, radio, and print journalism. After leaving traditional media in the mid-1990s, he began developing and marketing websites and continued to provide consulting services for more than 15 years. His SEO and social media clients ranged from mom-and-pop small businesses to one of the Top 5 online retailers. Matt is a longtime speaker at marketing events around the U.S., including keynote and panelist roles. He can be found on Twitter at @MattMcGee. You can read Matt's disclosures on his personal blog. You can reach Matt via email using our Contact page.